Get Busy

Improving As an Artist

A maybe-potential Urban Landscape reference pic...

I want to become a better artist and I think this means that I have to get busy (busier). I recently heard an established artist say "You can only compete with yourself, making your next painting better than your last." I agree with that statement although I feel there is much work ahead for me. So what will I do about that?

I have signed up for an Urban Landscape painting class. This takes me out of my comfort zone as I have focused mainly on portraiture these last few years. I also want to work with an instructor as I have many landscape questions. I do not have much material (reference photographs) for this class, but I really want to challenge myself creatively and learn something that is not portrait related/outside my comfort zone.

I have also signed up for a one day portrait workshop. I do not know the instructor but I just want to see if there is some new information or inspiration that I can glean about portraiture. Particularly important to me as I continue to paint from life twice a week.

Three hours a week on Urban Landscape plus the 6 hours a week in life portrait (no instruction) seems a good fit. It is important to emphasize that my painting time is not limited to the studio and class times. I have to work from home to improve as an artist. Too often I hear (in class and at the studio) artists complaining about weaknesses and unfinished works - more often than not these are the people who do not work at home. "Work" is a key word and improvement will never come if you do not work and challenge yourself at home, it is a must!

So, I work at home, take classes, work at studio AND belong to a great community art group. If there is an art group in your community I highly encourage you to join - I love seeing what other artists are working on and the newsletter is informative about art happenings and shows!

Yes, I will be busy, and it has to be that way, making art and improving is a full time job!

SPRING: A Time For Inspiration

These days I am doing fairly well with art motivation, I have a stack of finished works and an even larger stack of "in-progress" or "need some final touches" works. I have been working toward a goal of getting a work or two into a prestigious May/Sept Show but I am always looking for art inspiration.

You may have heard this before and I will say it again, go to your art museum! I always find inspiration at the museum.

These days my favorite work of art  at the museum is this beauty by Robert Henri - The Beach Hat. I love the expressive thick background and the simple strokes used to create the features and sweater. My favorite aspects of this painting are the brushstrokes. I continue to struggle with paint application and need to learn the deliberate placement (then leaving the paint/stroke alone). Look at the red stroke on her neck against the white of the shirt, look at the dark Alizarin paint stroke from the shoulder down to create form on the sweater - amazing! The colors are lovely and the model (Henri's wife) is gazing out at the viewer -a beautiful painting all around, I find it inspiring! Doesn't Henri make it all look so simple? What I would give to complete a portrait work like this!

My advice is to go to the museum and find a work that speaks to you. Then ask yourself why the work is interesting to you and how you can apply it toward your work. I love Robert Henri's backgrounds and think I will incorporate thicker multi-colored backgrounds with expressive strokes into my works, not copies just take-away inspirations and ideas! Instant Inspiration!

The Art of the Selfie

Self Portrait Painting 

I took a selfie with my phone the other day and I was pleased with the photo (not pictured here). I pixelated the image in Photoscape and then created a small painting from the image.  I then took the painting to Art Critique where it was a colossal failure - there was not a positive word to be said about it, a disappointment to be sure. I strongly wanted self portrait advice other than "Use a mirror and paint yourself." These days, with photo selfies, I want more advice on painting the self portrait, there has to be a new normal! And if there is not, why not? What are the new art norms for Self Portraits? If there aren't any there should be - I do not want a self portrait of me with a frowny mouth (which is how I think many mirror self portraits turn out). Meh! So a new Journey begins...

My first "new" Self Portrait

 I have been thinking about creating self portrait for awhile. Would you believe there is not much online/searchable for self portrait artistry? I was hoping to find some self portrait ideas online. I didn't find much, but I did find one bit of inspiration at art critique. A fellow artist at Critique said, "I am gathering all my old paints and using them, that led to this painting." And that led to me gathering up my old paints (not in my current palette) and starting my self portrait journey.

My 2nd and 3rd self portrait

I laid out my "old" paints (not my usual palette), with lots of orange and purples and found an old photo and started working on a self portrait. In a few hours, I had a rather nice result. I kept putting out wild colors and kept mixing them to reasonable skin tone! Yes, you can get bright orange and punky purple to mix with whites, reds and yellows to get accurate skin tone. Some colors in this "old" paint palette included: Cadmium Orange, Manganese Purple, Indian Red and Sap Green - all colors that I have at home but don't take out each week for art! This was good in that I was fearless with paint application.

My 4th & most accurate self portrait

And, I painted the self portrait again And again ( using different photos; 5 Self Portraits thus far) each time trying new things. I did try to use a minty green - I wanted to create a wildly colored "Fun" portrait -- but I wiped it out as the minty green was too white and cool, it really  bothered me! Bright orange and pink, bring it, but that cool blue-green just did not speak to me - even though my intention was to be wild and against the grain!

Hey, I can mix accurate colors and skin tones - from some wild colors. I feel strong in this area!
You can surprise yourself, I love color but I am not wildly creative with color! In my mind I wanted a purple, red, orange wild self-portrait and yet when I laid out all those colors, I fell in love with Phthalo Turquoise! I proceeded to create an entire portrait painting Phthalo Turquoise & white--a Monotone Portrait painting! I pulled the extra colors off the palette and saved them for later.

My 5th and Phthalo Monotone

I am soliciting for self portrait ideas and links. Let me know where and if you see any modern Self Portrait articles and inspiration! Thank you!

Finding ART Workshops: It Shouldn't Be This Difficult

Give Me a Good ART Workshop

I am art-ambitious and I like art challenges. Nothing has been more fun than taking art workshops in which I learn new things and in which often my art brain is challenged. I love art workshops but why oh why are they so hard to find?

Blame the Internet?

Maybe.
I haven't met too many Google searchable, website, savvy artist promoters. When I first moved here a few years ago, I searched constantly online for art classes and instructors. I found only one place to take classes and that was after vigorous desperate searching. Needless to say, there is a community art group in almost every town here - I have no idea how people find them because they are not finding them online! One group I have joined sends out postcards each month which is nice, but they do not update their website or facebook pages often enough. Social media is more important than ever and I expect to see updates, often!

My next issue is distance!
For a few months now I have been searching for an art workshop. My issue is that I want to find a workshop that is drivable for me. I have a ton of art supplies and even taking only paints, brushes, canvas and easel -well you see the dilemma it is a lot of stuff to take! I found a workshop that I would want to take but it is a 2 day drive --I do not love driving that seems so far! Much too far since it would be 2 day driving there and 2 days driving back. Ugh I am tired already!

Last issue - I Don't Know You

I found a few art workshops that  would be a few hours drive. That seems reasonable, although I am unfamiliar with many of the artists teaching the workshops. One important note is that not all artists make great instructors! A well known artist with beautiful work does not equate to a great art instructor. I always ask my art friends about art instructors and classes and workshops - insight and knowledge are invaluable.

What is the BEST art workshop that you have taken? Who was the artist who taught the workshop?

Flinty and Impervious: Finding Art Titles

How Do You Find Titles for Your Art?

"You Gotta Be" -A Small and Large Painting

It is such a challenge to come up with a title for a work of art.  I keep looking at this work and at her gaze, she is a strong determined young lady, but how to title this work? Stream of consciousness: Strong, determined, young, piercing, head on, edgy, brave, beautiful, direct, intimidating, and bright.

This is a small strong and expressive work of art. The painting is 9x12." I pushed the top of the head off the canvas, showing very little of the neck and yet I react positively to the composition. This is not a typical composition for me. Typically I show more of the top of the head, leaving space at the top of the canvas. Also, I usually include shoulders and half body. On this day I was not enthused with the model's hands and pose therefore I zoomed in on her gorgeous face. Yes, her lips ARE that big and pouty (all natural) - Envy Away!

Some titles come right away, and some I have gleaned from songs. I tried looking for songs about determination and strength but nothing quite fit.

Where To Find Inspiration:
Song Titles
Song Lyrics
Book Titles
Book Phrases
Poems
Expressions

How else do you find titles for your art works? "Flinty and Impervious" is a phrase that was said in a movie and I liked it! I want to try to get into several shows in February and I am struggling to title all of my works.

Art 2015: A Look Back

So Much To Ponder...

I am proud of this likeness.

This has been a year of questions and reflections particularly as they relate to my art and making art (paintings in this post are from 2015). I have gotten several comments that my painting style has “changed.” I guess my style has changed but is that a good thing? I look back at where I was two years ago artistically and art-socially. Two years ago I was alone in making and pursuing art. Now I have art friends, art critique group, a painting group and several art associations all leading to more fulfillment but still there is a need to pursue more, to do more!

This was all about fabric!

My trademark graphic background

My two year ago paintings were simpler. Simple doesn’t mean bad - I think some of those simple works were very nice – less detail, no background but still beautiful. Today I struggle more—so much more. I have internal conflicts and analytical struggles: what I want to include in a work, how much detail I need, and how long I want to work on the painting. I have so much more to think about and the more I learn the more I question. I read an article recently and essentially the statement was that the struggle of the artist is to get the work from the brain through the arm and hand via the brush to the canvas. Getting paint from my brain to the canvas is much harder than it sounds. Often my hope and artistic vision does not match what I create on canvas. And that leads to questions as to what should I focus on, what isn’t working, what is working?

Fun with the beard!

Juicy landscape

Now I am starting to think about my 2016 art goals which may or may not be definitive. Last year I wanted to get into a few juried shows, wanted to work on drawing, wanted to progress with my painting getting likeness (features). I also wanted to dedicate more time to painting and making art<<< I am sure that will be on the list for 2016 too. I am proud that I did spend more of 2015 painting and honing my skills. As I travel these holidays I will think (analyze and make lists) of my new 2016 Art Goals. Are there any good resources that can assist with that? What are your Art 2016 Goals?

My first larger landscape

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving Thanks

This Year I have TWO Large ART Thankfuls: Kindred Spirits & Artistic Growth

Kindred Spirits: I am Thankful for my Art Friends

Plein Air with my Art Group

An Unfinished Look but I love it

I love admire and respect my art friends, many of whom have been making art years longer than I. If you are not or have not made art you may not realize how hard it is -- how hard it is to get motivated, how hard it is to build skills, how hard it is to sell. It is a dedication, often with little to no reward. I spend several hours a week with my fellow artists. They are great motivators and great sounding boards when I have questions. I can chat with them about classes, workshops, and even get instant critiques on my art. You my creative kindred spirits help me get through the tough weeks, I appreciate you.

Love the pink & got her attitude

Artistic Growth: 

My Favorite Model - Santa!

As I reflect back on the last few months, I want to focus on my growth as an artist. There is no one Aha Moment but I know and feel that I am bettering my art skills. And my style has evolved to be more fresh and expressive; this is a culmination of many things. I have been working with a mentor, I attend a monthly art critique group, take art classes, work on art at home and en plein air, and read art blogs and books. Whew! It has taken much work to get me where I am today and sometimes I feel I have art successes, lately now more than ever. I am excited about the future which does perhaps include my work in a few art shows.